FOREST PROTECTION 16 



Par. 4. Protection Against Wild Vertebrates. 



Amongst the wild animals preying upon the forest the mammals figure 

 as well as the birds. The role played by the vertebrates in the " house- 

 hold" of the forest is little knowii. 



Birds and mammals may injure the forest directly — by eating vege- 

 table matter produced in the forest, — or indirectly — by killing the 

 friends of the forester. Utility of a wUd animal is frequently combined 

 with noxiousness, e. g. in the case of the crow, blue-jay, fox. 

 Useful animals may help the forester either directly — by seed distri- 

 bution, — or indirectly — by killing the enemies of the forest. 



A. — Protection Against Mammals Forming the Object of Chase. 

 I. — Deer. 



a. — The damage done consists in: — 

 Eating fruits. 



Browsing on shoots and seedlings. 

 Peeling the bark of saplings and poles (notably of spruce, 



oak, ash). 

 Rubbing off the bark when freeing the antlers of velvet. 

 Tramping down plantations or natural regenerations. 



The objects of damage are, above all, the rare species, or species 

 arousing the curiosity of the deer. 



b. — Protective measures are: — 



Proper regulation of the number of deer. Compatible with 

 the objects of silviculture are, per 10.000 acres. 50 head of 

 elk or 150 head of Virginia deer, provided that rurseries are 

 fenced. 



Feeding during winter by cutting soft woods or I'V providing 

 hay stacks. Mast-bearing trees should be e! coiimged; grass 

 meadows should be maintained; a few patches should be planted 

 in turnips, potatoes, clover, etc. Maitjlaiiti: et sjdt licks, es- 

 pecially with a view to preventing bark peeli' e in spring. 

 Hohlfeld's game powder is said to ai swer the i urpose still 

 better. Fencing nurseries and young <rr"wlh. 

 Sprinkling seedlings with kerosene. lioui<! r?';, i.rc. blood, 

 cotton residue or. better, covering the fall shfi > < xrli:.v-ivp of 

 bud, with coal tar. Coal tar is espofielly efU'<ti\i- i (he case 

 of fir and spruce. Thinniigs should be dol-iycu :s loi g as 

 possible. Planting is preferable to sowii g. ts; t r i; lly to sow- 

 ing in the fall. 



II. — Wild Boar. Boar are particularly disastrnuf; (( urstrics. : iit- 

 ural regenerations and plantatioi s. The oi h n\ i fs : re stroi g 

 fences. 



